Thursday, February 24, 2005

Promises, Promises...

Well, the husband has been away for exactly 19 days now...

:::sigh:::

And guess what happened last night? Yes, you guessed it, car trouble. Wouldn't you know it (again)? Nothing ever happens with the car when he's here, but darn it! It all happens while he's away!!! I think it's minor, so I will stay home as much as possible until he gets back, but I just thought I'd share.


Valentine's Day

Well, my Valentine's Day was less than spectacular, but it was ok. My sixteen-year-old daughter, Julia, did have a more exciting day, though. She got a promise ring from her boyfriend.
:::gulp:::
Yep, we are at that time in a young girl's life that most parents dread. The teenage-love years. Well, I guess I'm just going through the crap that my parents had to deal with with me, right? Boys, dates, worries and so on and so on. My parents warned me about this, but did I listen? Did I take them seriously? Of course not! Did I think that my kid was going to be different? The one who listened, the one who made all the right decisions about everything? Of course! Let me tell you something... Listen to your parents! Contrary to popular belief, they know what they are talking about!

So I'm not freaking out here or anything... I'm just hoping and praying that my daughter makes good decisions, well-thought-out decisions. I'm trying to keep the lines of communication open between us and so far so good, I think. But does anyone have any advice to share? Anyone out there saying, been there-done that? I'm accepting any and all advice offered here!

I haven't told her Dad that she got a promise ring yet. I'm trying to figure out how I'll do it. Do I just tell him all non-chalant like, or do I tell him with raised eyebrows like we should be worried about it? Shoot, maybe I'll just keep my mouth shut and let her tell him herself. Then she can deal with his reaction, which I predict won't be "overjoyed".

When I was the age Julia is right now, I was expecting her. Yes, I was pregnant. Most of you reading this blog know this, but some of you may not. So I have my reasons for taking this teenage relationship she has with her boyfriend quite seriously. Honestly, I don't think she'll make all the same decisions I made, but I fear that she may make some. Some is enough. I just want to keep her on track with school, steer her on the right path to make the very most of her life, and get her to where she ultimately wants to be. Easy enough, right?

Now, do not misunderstand me. I am not sorry at all that I gave birth to my baby at 17 years old. In fact, it's worked out ok for us. After turbulent times when my husband and I were still very young, we're still together and going stronger than ever. We've since had four more children (another daughter in 1990 and the triplets in 2003) and we are happy. I just think that we are the EXCEPTION. I don't think all relationships fare this well. And I pray that my daughters will do some living on their own before they get caught up in being a wife and/or mother.

Ok, am I bugging for nothing? Why in the heck did this kid feel the need to give my daughter a promise ring anyway? What exactly is his promise? Hmmm? Well let me put this out there:

I promise to protect my daughter.
I promise to do whatever I can to help my daughter get to college (and graduate).
I promise to not let anything/anyone stand in the way of her dreams.
I promise to support her and keep her in my house for as long as possible.
I promise to love her more than anyone else in this world will.

How do you like them promises?

Monday, February 14, 2005

Vintage Valentine's Greeting


Vintage Valentine's Greeting
Originally uploaded by aloha_chris.
I just love this adorable Valentine's Day greeting... Happy Heart's Day!

Chris

Happy Valentine's Day!

I don't have my sweetheart with me this year, so this Valentine's Day isn't the same; but I've got five beautiful girls to share my V-day with, so it's still a fun day!

Here's a poem I'd like to share in honor of this sweet day:


The Depth of My Love

Can you count the grains of sand
That decorate the shore
If you could count their number I would still love you even more.
Is there a number of the times
A wave can come crashing onto the beach
Or is there a limit to the seaweed
That gets washed within our reach?
Can you count the rays of sunshine
That shine down on us from above
If so, then you have a place to start To tell you of the depth of my love.

Thena Smith

Friday, February 11, 2005

100 Things About Me

Hey folks, I'm doing a little project I assigned for myself. It all started when I was thinking of a new layout to do in my scrapbook, which, by the way, is affectionately called "The Book of Me." I wanted to do a couple of pages where some of the little-known details about me could be revealed. So I decided to list "100 Things about Me." Surprisingly, the list wasn't that hard to come up with. I guess we all have little tidbits about ourselves that we don't really share, huh? So instead of my usual post to my blog, I decided to share this list with you all. (Makes my entry for today much easier too!)

100 Things About Me:

I am a Sagittarius.
I read the newspaper daily.
I hate being cold.
I think brunettes are more beautiful than blondes.
I have one tattoo.
I prefer handmade gifts to store-bought.
I treasure my old friends.
I am a dog person.
I am a stay-at-home-mom with no intentions of going back to work anytime soon, for the very first time…
I love 80’s music.
I hate the sun on my face.
I love the warmth of the sun on the rest of my body.
I was married at the age of 17.
I am a defensive driver.
I don’t get too close to many people.
I love watching C-SPAN, especially BOOK-TV.
I tend to be overly pessimistic at times.
I love cooking and baking and trying new recipes.
I drink half-caff almost every morning at home.
I hate gossip.
I have uber-long eyelashes.
I have an obsession with planning and organization.
I wish I could have earned a Bachelor’s Degree—in anything.
Orchids are my favorite flower.
I lived in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu for 8 years.
I really dig wine tasting.
I am a huge fan of Hello Kitty.
I have no living grandparents.
I hate folding laundry.
I enjoy writing/journaling.
I am a lover of all things Zen. Can you say, "Ommm..." ?
I am afraid of heights, although I never was when I was a kid/teenager.
I prefer coffee to tea, but I do try to alternate every once in awhile.
I don’t allow people to wear shoes in my house.
I am deeply in love with my husband.
I cherish my Roman Catholic faith, regardless of scandals.
I hate wearing socks.
I wear my Acuvue 2 contact lenses for up to 3 months although I’m supposed to change them every 2 weeks.
I love flying in airplanes.
I am a mother to 5 beautiful girls.
I love my book club.
I watch General Hospital and Desperate Housewives religiously.
I am considering a career as a Certified Massage Therapist.
I scrapbook moments in my life to leave/share memories with my children and someday my grandchildren.
Pedicures and massages are my favorite little indulgences.
I only apply mascara to my top lashes.
I’d like to move back to Hawaii someday.
I screen most of my incoming phone calls and let the voice mail answer my calls on a regular basis.
Ice cream is my favorite dessert, especially Haagen-Dazs.
I tend to hold grudges, sometimes for too long.
I am a devoted Diet Pepsi drinker.
I am terrified of house fires since a close call at my home a few years back.
I am a bargain shopper.
I am pro-life.
I love Milk Duds mixed in with my buttered popcorn at the movies.
I, along with my husband, am a first-time homeowner.
I am a chronic worrier.
I spend at least one hour on my computer daily.
I am a trustworthy friend.
I don’t ever air my dirty laundry.
I am short.
Until recently, I was the only person I knew (in real life) who had given birth to triplets.
I wish I could nap more often.
I would love to travel through Europe someday.
I only use a black ink pen to write in my checkbook and register.
I hate being late, and when others are late.
I’ve always wanted a yellow kitchen, and now I have one.
I am creative.
I have been a registered Republican since I was 19 years old.
I don’t like birds.
I am pro-adoption.
My life situations sometimes change on account of the U.S. Navy.
I consider plastic surgery as an option for me in the coming years.
I have hips.
I am careful about who I trust.
At Starbucks, I always order a Grande-nonfat-no whip-Mocha.
I want to learn to play the piano.
I wish I were fluent in Spanish and Italian.
I don’t know if my family is complete yet.
I had my first kiss when I was 13.
I am a very good listener.
I hope to someday celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary with my husband.
I am a magazine junkie.
I consider becoming a mother as the best decision I’ve ever made.
I only wear white-metal jewelry (silver, platinum, white gold).
Thai restaurants are my favorite places to eat.
I am a compulsive list-maker.
I love admiring photography.
I feel like I’m always wanting to lose weight.
I have made great friendships by first “meeting” people (girlfriends of course) on the internet.
I would like to have my own little herb garden in my backyard.
I floss daily.
I wish I could someday meet Pope John Paul II.
I sometimes wonder if I’m doing well at being a mother and raising my children.
I seem to be permanently attached to my digital camera; I take it everywhere I go.
I hate when people can’t talk without cussing.
I’d like to be buried alongside my husband in Hawaii when I die.
My favorite (celebrity) musician is Sting.
Autumn is my favorite season.
Since giving birth to my children, my shoe size has increased from a size 6½ to a size 7.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Playdates, Traffic & Stupid People

Today's Playdate

I love playdates. Honestly. I really do. I love taking my triplets to meet up with other HOM (Higher Order Multiples) families to play and have fun. It forces me to get out of the house with them when otherwise I might take the easy way out and stay inside watching Dora the Explorer and Elmo on TV. Wait, let me clear that up... I don't keep my children indoors all the time; they get "outside time" at least once a day because I can't bear to think that I'm depriving my children of fresh air and sunshine! :::Just wanted to get that straight right away::: But most days, I don't venture too far from home because it takes so long to get the little ones ready and packed up all by myself. And, inevitably, someone always poops their diaper just as we're walking to the garage to get in the car, or someone will disassemble their adorable pigtails that have taken me so long to make EVEN, and so on... Still, I take the initiative and wake up early on playdate days, which are two to three times per month, and I make it happen. Once we're there, I'm always glad we went.

You should see the little darlings... They are so happy to play with other children! And I think it's especially important for them to see other "multiples", so that they don't feel that they are too different from other kids. Yes, I know triplets are not that common for the rest of you to see, but I'd like my girls to know that there are plenty of other triplets around us, AND I'VE FOUND THEM! :::he he he:::

So, today's playdate was at the City of Riverside Main Library, in downtown Riverside, CA. The other HOM moms and I were meeting there at 10:00am so that we could catch the baby and toddler storytime. Great! I was excited about this one because I had only heard good things about this library and their baby-friendly storytime. The only other storytime experience I've had with Malia, Kaia & Marisa didn't turn out too hot (at another local library) as I've got an over-agressive reader in the bunch. I'll explain that another time. Let's just suffice to say that Kaia was crying as we left that storytime and I was not a happy mom!


Traffic

So, I get things done early, or at least I thought so... But of course we are heading out of the house behind schedule. (Doesn't it always happen that way?) I remember that I still have to stop by the gas station because I need to add some air to the spare tire I have on my truck right now. It looks really low. (Don't ask me how much air I put in it or how much it really needed... My tire pressure gauge is mysteriously missing.) So I stop by the gas station, put some air in the tire, and we're OFF!

I'm making good time... I can probably get there just about 10 minutes late, so I'll be ok... Uh-oh... TRAFFIC.

Let me just say that I hate coming through the Riverside freeway system for just this reason. :::Unbelieveable traffic on the 60 Freeway merging on to the 91 Freeway::: But according to Mapquest, this was the shortest route to downtown Riverside. Yeah, right. I spent the next 45 minutes slowly traveling a route that should have taken me only 20 minutes to get through. Man.

Needless to say, we're super-late. We walk in to the library as the other triplet moms are walking out. Oh well.


Stupid People

Luckily, the other moms weren't ready to head home yet. They wanted to walk down a bit and get some lunch with the kids. **Kewl** All is not lost. The babes and I walk with the other moms and their triplets down to McDonalds and order lunch. People are staring at us while we are eating. They can't believe the triplets, all three sets of them. You know, I understand this is a normal reaction for most people, but after awhile it just gets downright annoying. These are our children, after all. We aren't part of the freakin' circus or something! Jeez! Let us feed our babies in peace!

After lunch we all walked down to the front steps of the city museum so we could enjoy our desserts (Mickey D's yogurt parfaits). Then it's time to head back to the library parking lot to get in our cars and go home. Getting INTO the car is a bit of an ordeal, too. But isn't everything when you're trying to do it with triplets? Okay, so I'm trying to get one, two, three in the car... all while trying to make sure no one wanders off in the parking lot, or falls down, or whatever. Then this lady who's driving in the parking lot feels the need to stop right where me and a fellow triplet mommy are trying to get the kids into the car and shouts, "Big Family!" out her window. OMG. What a freak. And such bad timing. After the morning I had and now I'm frantically trying to get my children into their car seats safely, this lady tells us something as stupid as this? Luckily she drove away so I didn't have to make a scene. Some people are so stupid.



In closing...

So, this was my day. Like I said, it was a fair day. Not too bad, but not too great either. But at least I got to spend some time out in the sunshine with my babies...


Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Jojo & Me


Jojo & Me
Originally uploaded by aloha_chris.
In love in 1987... I miss my husband!

Wouldn’t You Just Know It?

Flat Tire

Okay, my husband had been gone exactly ONE DAY… and guess what… I got a freakin’ flat tire on the freeway Sunday afternoon!!! Yep, I was driving south on the 215 Freeway on my way to a friend’s Super Bowl party in Murrieta and :::POP::: goes my tire! I noticed that the truck was swerving a bit so I knew something was wrong. I’ve never had a flat tire before, so I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening. To make a long story short, I pulled over to a safe area and called AAA and a friendly guy came to change my tire after about an hour’s wait. Oh, did I mention that I had all five of my daughters with me at the time? Luckily I had stocked up on snacks before we headed out that afternoon, so no one starved to death during our ordeal. Man, this really sucks. Now I have to go get a new tire, too… Urgh!


He’s Gone

Yes, so I mentioned that my husband is underway, right? If not, I meant to. I just had to get the flat tire thing out there and off of my chest. I dropped him off at Camp Pendleton on Saturday morning and it just felt so weird. It’s been so long since we’ve been separated for any amount of time… Not to mention it was plain to see by the look on his face that he was having a hard time with this “mini-deployment” as well. I felt so bad for him, and for the kids too. But I guess this is good practice on being apart since WestPac is coming up in June and he’ll be away from us for a whole six months that time. I’m so not looking forward to that.


Cropping with the Girls

Well, after I dropped off my teary-eyed husband at Pendleton (okay, I was teary-eyed, too) I drove up to Riverside to join a group of my friends to scrapbook. We try to get together every so often to work on our scrapbooks and to enjoy each other’s company. It was exactly what I needed to get my mind off of my husband being gone. Julia & Kim were taking care of the babies while I spent a few hours out, so it turned out to be a pretty good day for me after all. I love this group of chicks… They are such cool friends to have. I feel lucky to have met them and to share this great hobby with them. We’re going to meet again next month somewhere in the L.A. area to do this again. It’s great therapy for me… and a chance to have some time to myself! Can’t wait!


In Closing...

As usual, it’s late and I gotta get going. Need that sleep for another busy day tomorrow!

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Birthday!

Oh man, I have neglected my blog for so very long! I’m telling you, sometimes life just gets away from me and, well, you know… But here I am again. It’s late at night, the kids (and the husband) are fast asleep and I’ve got some time to myself. Oh, before I forget… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! (Yes, I realize I am WAY late!)

It’s Tuesday, February 1, 2005; my husband’s birthday! He’s 38 years old today. HUH? Gosh… I met the guy when he was only 19 years old. That means I’ve known him almost 20 years. I can’t even believe it. Happy birthday, honey!

Our family is getting set for a mini-deployment this month. If you don’t know by now, my husband, Moises is serving in the Navy (going on his 18th year) and he’s being sent out to sea for the month of February. **UGH** I hate this part of being a Navy wife. And it’s harder this time than it was in the past because now we have the almost-two-year-old triplets in our family and I am now a stay-at-home mom. No biggie, you say, this time around (I guess), but it will be a whole other story when he leaves again in June for a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf. I am so not looking forward to that separation. And being here at home with our five daughters… Hmmm… That could be tough.

Speaking of daughters…

Who gave them permission to grow up so fast? My oldest girls, Julia and Kimberley, are both teenagers although I feel they should still be around 9 and 11 years old. What happened? And the triplets… I can’t believe they will be two years old next month. It was only yesterday that they were newborn preemies, just home from the hospital! (Wasn’t it?) So not only do I have teenage girls to deal with (including boyfriends, endless phone calls, MTV/VH1, IM’ing, etc…), but I am also trying to handle three toddlers and their eating boycotts, potty training, weekly playdates, never-ending messes, and more. What exactly have I gotten myself into? I :::DEMAND::: that these children all go back to their “preferred” ages and be silent little angels for their mommy!!!

Okay, I guess I’m wigging out a bit right now. I’ve got lots of things on my mind and so many daughters to worry about. But I’ll handle it, like I always do. I’ve got the “Super Mom” image to maintain, you know…

…must stay awake… must type faster… must stay awake…

Okay friends, I know this is a measly little blog entry for today but I’m beat. The lids are closing and it’s beyond my control. My breathing is becoming slower and slower and the consciousness is fading… I should have known better than to log on this late at night after spending the entire day taking care of three sick (and cranky) toddlers. What was I thinking? I’ll attempt to get back to my blog in a more reasonable time frame and update it regularly!

See ya soon!